Nova Scotia Environment

Non-essential Pesticides Program

Overview

How pesticides are regulated in Canada

Understanding the Act, Regulations and Allowable List

Understanding how pesticides are regulated in Canada• Federal Government

• Health Canada’s Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) registers pest control products

– Label is a legal document

• Provincial Government regulates the storage and use (approvals, certification, auditing, compliance)

Background

• Public Consultation in winter 2009/2010– 80% of public support for this legislation– Act passed May 2010

• Regulations and List of Allowable Pesticides approved December 2010

– Consulted extensively with the lawn care industry, medical groups and special interest groups

The Act

• Non-essential Pesticides Control Act was passed on May 11, 2010

• Beginning April 2011 Act restricts pesticides labeled for sale or use in, on or over a lawn except those on the Minister’s “Allowable List”

• Beginning April 2012 Pesticides labeled for outdoor tree, shrub, flower or other ornamental plant will be restricted

The Act

• The Act exempts:– Forestry– Agriculture– Golf course

• The Act does also not apply to:– Indoor use– Structural/Public Health (carpenter ants, fleas, bed bugs,

rodents)

The Act

• The Act does apply to the use of specific pesticides on lawns and ornamentals, including:

– Residential property– Apartment/condo buildings– Commercial property– Government property (Provincial and Municipal

and likely Federal)– Cemeteries– Institutional (e.g. hospitals, schools, universities)

Exceptions to Prohibitions on Non-essential Pesticides Regulations The exceptions are:

– animal that bites, stings, is venomous or carries disease or poisonous to human touch

– fungus, plant or animal that may negatively affect a building, structure or machine

– alien invasive species, other than a plant, that may negatively affect the health of humans, the environment or the economy

– alien invasive species that are plants

Exceptions to Prohibitions on Non-essential Pesticides Regulations

• Only one active ingredient is allowed to treat poisonous plants, plants that may impact a structure or alien invasive plant species.

• a. i. – glyphosate, recognizable trade name is Round-up

Exceptions to Prohibitions on Non-essential Pesticides Regulations

• So how does someone buy a pesticide for excepted uses?

• Purchasers must speak with a certified vendor.

• Purchasers are not permitted direct access to pesticides that are for excepted uses.

Certified vendor

• Is required to provide written information about the circumstances under which the pesticide is permitted to be used.

Changing Behaviour

• Program philosophy: landscaping pesticides are not necessary so they now have more restrictions

• Community Based Social Marketing Approach

• Restrictions start at the retailers

• Students are verifying compliance through visits

Industry Education

• Landscape NS - industry association representing professional landscaper

– help in getting messages out to their businesses– help with consumer advice for growing a healthy lawn

• Pesticide Wholesalers– very important group since they can help limit retailers’

product choices

• retailers – emails and visits– there is not an industry association for this group

Public Education

• Brochures sent through all the major newspapers– promotion of healthy lawn practices to avoid the need for

pesticides– promotion that there is a new law

• Minister’s program launch & press release

• Ongoing media interviews

• Nonprofit environmental education organizations conducting outreach throughout the spring

– home shows, farmers markets, demonstrations

Strengthening Collaboration

• Health & Wellness

• IWK

• Canadian Cancer Society – Halifax Chapter

• Pesticide Free NS

• Landscape NS

• Retail Council of Atlantic Canada

• Retail outlets such as Halifax Seed, Home Hardware

• Communications NS